Dewan Rakyat: 5,000 relief teachers for Chinese, Tamil schools

By: V. Vasudevan, Eileen Ng, R.S. Kamini and Joseph Sipalan

THE Education Ministry has recruited more than 5,000 untrained relief teachers (GSTT) to overcome a shortage of teachers, particularly in Tamil and Chinese schools nationwide.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong said these teachers would be placed at various locations in the country including in rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak.

Wee said Sarawak would receive the highest number of GSTT - 1,115 - while Sabah has been allocated 876.

Beginning July 1, about 1,077 GSTTs will start teaching at Chinese schools, 399 in Tamil schools, 2,980 at national schools and 666 at special education schools.

"These teachers will be trained during school holidays to ensure that they are equipped with the right teaching skills.
"Those who have good teaching potential will be absorbed into the profession and after three years, they will be recognised as fully-trained teachers," said Wee at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

The New Straits Times Online: 29 Mei 2008